Two killed in clashes in eastern Ukraine

DONETSK – At least two civilians were killed Tuesday and four others injured in Ukraine’s Lugansk region, as intense clashes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists continue.

Local sources told the Anadolu Agency that a shell hit a bus in the center of the city killing two and injuring four others.

Lugansk Municipality warned in a statement to its citizens not to go out of their homes unless absolutely necessary.

There have been reports of fighting in Donetsk where the Ukrainian army used heavy weapons to take the control of the city. Ukrainian military planes bombed a military base controlled by separatists in the city of Petrovka on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian intelligence service said in a statement it has confiscated 5 million rubles (nearly $150,000) and detained a courier attempting to send them to pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in a statement that clashes are continuing and that there are no plans for an unilateral ceasefire.

A ten-day ceasefire ended June 30 and Ukrainian troops re-launched attacks against pro-Russian separatists in eastern regions. In the rebel-stronghold of Slavyansk city where separatists laid siege weeks ago, the Ukrainian army made a major gain in the offensives by seizing back control of the rebel-stronghold on Saturday.